Winter in Olympic National Park, From Space

Every now and then, we get cool satellite images of the Pacific Northwest that leaves us in awe at the beauty of our home. Under clear skies, we get to see incredible glimpses of our corner of the world in ways unfathomable a few generations ago. On December 6th, 2016, after what seemed like months of rain and then a cold streak that brought lowland snow, the skies parted and let us stare in wonder at the snowy summits surrounding the Puget Sound.

Below are a few images taken from a NASA hi-res satellite that were shared from the Space Science and Engineering Center in Madison, Wisconsin. In the images below, it is a little tough to always see where the clouds end and the snow begins, but just keep in mind that most of Western Washington was cloud free.

Washington State from a satellite on Dec 6th, 2016The Olympic Peninsula and Olympic National Park from a satellite on Dec 6th, 2016Washington State and the Salish Sea from a satellite on Dec 6th, 2016

I don’t know what is more impressive in this picture. The snow on the Olympic Mountains, the fact that we had a clear day, the snow all along the Strait of Juan De Fuca or the insane amount of fresh water being pumped into the oceans by our swollen rivers. It is all a pretty spectacular sight and I thank NASA and NOAA for the chance to see things like this. The Pacific Northwest is staggeringly gorgeous and every chance we get to see it from above is a welcome treat.

The weather forecast is calling for more snow on Thursday, with over half a foot expected in some places like Olympia, Shelton, and Hoodsport. If that forecast holds, the entire state will look like a blanket of white has been draped over it. This weekend, after the roads have been cleared, you might just wasn’t to head out and explore the majesty of winter on the Olympic Peninsula with your own eyes, eggs and heart. It will truly be a magnificent winter wonderland.

Editors note: From what we could quickly gather, the service that brings these satellite images may be one of the things we lose when the incoming Trump Administration comes into office. As strict climate change deniers, they are planning to drastically cut funding to NASA’s research on the subject. This translates to not just a step back in finding a solution or a way to understand climate change, but also takes away things more awesomeness than this in the future.

And now, three random shots of the snowy beauty that was Olympic National Park over this past week.

Fresh snow along the Staircase Loop Trail in Olympic National Park

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